To demonstrate the advantages of growing miscanthus, the University of Iowa invited the public Wednesday, May 7. to the planting of a 15-acre pilot field on a farm south of Iowa City. The plan is to study the progress of the perennial grass with an eye on planting an additional 2,500 acres by 2016 because the university expects to produce up to 25,000 tons per year of biomass fuel.

Repreve Renewables, a North Carolina company focused on growing renewable solutions, was on hand to plant the rhizomes, a horizontal-growing root, with a machine the company designed and patented. Because miscanthus is a perennial, it only has to be planted once and can last up to 30 years. The grass will be ready to harvest after the first frost and the plant has dried down.